Wonder
by TooOceanBlue
Summary: Maes Hughes had seen enough of war to know that life was too short, too fragile. It did no good to waste time, or to ponder truths you already knew. For this, he proposed to Gracia hardly a month after they returned for Ishval. For this too, he questioned Roy. Roy, who knew the same truth he did, and chose instead conquer the world, Lieutenant at his side.


Maes Hughes had seen enough of war to know that life was too short, too fragile. It did no good to waste time, or to ponder truths you already knew. For this, he proposed to Gracia hardly a month after he returned from Ishval. Within the year he was happily married, planning a future, a family. It was only then he began to question Roy. Roy, who knew the same truth he did, and chose instead conquer the world, Lieutenant at his side.

There were more important things, Hughes told him, but he paid no mind, Even after Elicia came along.

The Colonel loved the girl, his goddaughter, no matter how often he scolded Hughes for sending excessive amounts of photos to his work address. He knew that Roy kept his own stash of photos, just a few, in a cigar box in the bottom drawer of his nightstand. He knew that Lieutenant kept a photo as well, the one Hughes had given out to every acquaintance he had, the one that most threw away, or into some desk, never to be seen again. Riza kept hers, next to a photo in her locker of the day she was assigned to the Colonel. He was fond of her for it, for her sentimentality. He never questioned her.

In a week it will be Elicia's second Birthday, and there are memories to make. Of course, Hughes wants to invite the whole floor, but he narrows it down to just a handful of people, as per Gracia's request. Roy is of course among them, as busy as he's become, as well as the Lieutenant. He's come to appreciate her in the past years, for he small smiles of encouragement and her occasional "How has your family been?" Whether she asked out of respect or genuine interest he's not entirely sure, but he appreciates it nonetheless.

She is alone in the office when he enters, without knocking. She looks up from her paperwork, startled but not surprised, and gives him a smile. "The Colonel is at a meeting Sir. He shouldn't be too much longer, assuming he turned in his paperwork on time last quarter."

"With you on his case, I'm sure he did Lieutenant." He fell into the chair facing the Colonel's desk. "Mind if I wait here? I already punched out, and I have something to ask him."

Riza glanced at the wall clock, raising an eyebrow. "It's only three o' clock."

"I managed to move my schedule around so Fridays are half days."

"Sounds nice" She signs something with finality, then gets up to place it on Roy's desk.

"You're hair's getting a little long Lieutenant. Time for a trim?"

She relaxes just a bit as she shifts her gaze to him, slowly relieves herself from the mask of a soldier. "I'm growing it out actually."

"Really?" His mind flashes to their time in Ishval, to short hair on men and women alike, a necessity in the warzone. He had been surprised that she had not grown it out when they had returned, that she had not tried to separate herself as much as possible from their crimes as he had. "What made you want to do that?"

Riza smiles at him, warmly. Even a little longing, and Hughes wonders for the first time. "A little girl I met in resenbol."

Roy walked in then, already complaining about the meeting before he sees Hughes in the chair.

"Roy, buddy, it's so good to see you! How've you been?"

"What do you want Hughes?"

"Well, since you ask, it's Elicia's birthday next week! She's turning two years old!"

"Is she now?" he mused. "I'm surprised you didn't tell me a month in advance."

"Why ruin the surprise?" Hues laughed.

"I know her birthday Hues. It's the anniversary of when your brain-to-mouth filter disappeared for good."

"Oh, like you wouldn't be the exact same way. My Elicia is the cutest little thing on the planet, just imagine being her father! You wouldn't be able to resist!"

"I'm sure. About this party?" Roy finally sat down, examining the small stack of papers Riza had placed there before he entered.

"It's next saturday, 2:00. Make sure you're free."

Roy held out the papers to Riza. "I don't know, Hughes, that's about the time I'd be getting ready for a date-"

"Well, cancel." He stood up. "Now I've got to get back to my darling wife and daughter. Oh, it's already been too long." Hughes turned on his heel before he life. "Oh, I almost forgot, you're invited too, Lieutenant. Saturday, 2:00!" He closed the door before he saw the look they shared. He knew what it meant anyway.

Hawkeye and Roy arrive together that weekend, with Roy flamboyantly telling the story of how they ran into each other on the way. They stick close at the party regardless, the Lieutenant trailing the Colonel as if it is her duty during off hours. Hughes pays little mind. It is his darling daughter's birthday after all, and she is the star of the show today.

She opens gifts that her hands could barely grasp, with help from Gracia as well as Riza. She is patient with her, like she'd had practice. When he points this out, Riza merely states it was so many hours spent with the Colonel.

Roy, in his own regard, is just as good with Elicia, though Hues already knew that. He helps spoon-feed Elicia when Gracia momentarily leaves to clean cake off her dress.

"You sure are good at that Roy," Hues comments. "Ever think of having your own someday? Elicia's love to have a cousin."

"Not at all," he answered, catching a piece of frosting that had dribbled from ELicia's mouth. "You know we have a country to lead."

"You and I," Roy says easily. "You promised to help me every step of the way, did you?"

"I did." He answers, quietly. For Riza has stood up straighter at the edge of the room, and Hughes wonders.

Two years pass, and Hughes now knows what Roy means when he says 'we'. He and the Lieutenant, before all. Then himself, their team. The Elrics.

It kills him to see boys so young tied to the military. Roy had barely begun his studies at that age, and the greatest of Hughes' worries were which new adventure novel he should read.

He say as much as the Elrics leave the room, followed only by the gazes of the Lieutenant and the Colonel.

"Hopefully…" Roy sighs. "Hopefully when I'm in charge things will be better."

"You ever think about having your own one day?" The question is sober, the room heavy with the departure of Edward and Alphonse.

"Hm?" Roy has fixed his gaze on paperwork, a rarity for him.

"Children. Did you ever want to have them?" Hughes has joked enough in the past that he doesn't expect an answer.

Roy looks up at Hughes, though he doesn't miss the way his eyes flicker back to the door. "No. We've already got enough on our hands." He doesn't smile, but his eyes are softer than they should be.

Riza hawkeye does not tense, she has never been so obvious, but her eyes do meet Roy's, scolding him, reminding him with only a look, as if she doesn't know that Hughes knows. A facade of ignorance between then, even when they are alone, as thinly veiled as a label of civil war. He chooses to comfort her anyway, feigning that he is not privy to they way they look at each other, the way they plan every step together.

"What about you, Lieutenant?" He asks. "Anyone special you'd want to start a family with?"

"Not at all, Major." She answers. "You know my team is enough of a handful. The Colonel especially."

Hughes laughs at that, loud and boisterous with agreement, but he still doesn't miss the way Roy looks her way with more than just deflated annoyance at the insult, how both their gazes drift to the door with a look he would have never recognized before he became a father.

This is the last time he wonders.


End file.
